I work at Success Academy and thought you might be interested in the following. Just heard that we are planning a pro-charter parent march on October 8th. Our schools are being closed for the morning. Teachers, parents, students, and central office staff are being required to join the march. Other charter schools are joining as well. Several emails from senior leadership make it clear that the event is not optional. It seems very unethical that adults and children are being forced into this political statement, but I don’t know what, if anything, can be done.”

This is evidence that Success Academy charter schools are not public schools. Any principal or superintendent of a public school who used students and parents to engage in political activities, with or without their consent, would be fired.

I agree wholeheartedly–the teacher absolutely needs to share the emails with someone like Juan Gonzalez or Beth Fertig. I would also suspect someone at the Success network’s authorizer, the SUNY Charter Schools Institute, would be interested in seeing the emails, and would protect the teacher’s anonymity.

The same thing happened in Chicago at the end of last school year during the ‘pro-charter-rally’ (officially) sponsored by Charter Parents United (http://www.nbcchicago.com/blogs/ward-room/chicago-schools-teacher-rally–206672701.html). Teachers at many of the schools represented were told participation was mandatory and they needed to recruit at least four parents from their advisory classes, since this was meant to appear as a parent-led rally. To incentivize this political action at some schools, teachers were told that the number of parents they recruited beyond four would boost their numbers for report card pickup attendance, a percentage that translates directly into bonuses for teachers. Students who brought parents were given service hours, which they need to be promoted to the next grade (interestingly, students who showed up themselves out of ‘commitment to the cause,’ without an adult resembling a parent, weren’t given service hours). One of the battle cries of the rally was ‘Charter Schools ARE Public Schools” and this was sold to parents as a cry for equal funding for THEIR children…something few people, uninformed of the underlying situation of schools in Chicago, could really argue against. Pretty unabashedly manipulative, huh?

I’ve received Eva’s crazy email with the typical 3rd world country dictator’s technique of building visible but artificial support for her own agenda. Here it is:

Dear Parents,

Your child’s education is threatened. Our very existence is threatened. Opponents want to take away our funding and our facilities. These attacks are a real danger — we cannot stand idly by.

This is an outrage: There are hundreds of empty classrooms all across New York City, and more than 1,000 district schools share space without a complaint. Yet our opponents want to penalize our success — and are proposing legislation to do so.

These issues are tremendously important. If we lose ground – literally, if we lose access to public space – we cannot fulfill our commitment to you and your scholar. Which is why you – you and your scholar, your friends and relatives – must join us on Tuesday, October 8 to march with other charter parents across the Brooklyn Bridge.
What: Parent March across the Brooklyn Bridge in support of charter schools and parent choice!

When: Tuesday, October 8, 7:30am-11:00am. Buses will pick you and your scholar up from school at morning arrival, and you will be dropped off at Cadman Plaza in Brooklyn. We will delay the start of school until after the march.

Where: The march will start in Cadman Plaza, go across the Brooklyn Bridge, and end in City Hall Park (Downtown Manhattan). All families will then take a subway back to school after the march to drop off scholars for the rest of the school day.

Don’t let opponents of ed reform steal your children’s future. This is about your child, your choice. Your voice must be heard. We must show public officials that parents will fight for the right to choose excellent schools.

Thank you so much for all your support and enthusiasm for the hard, hard (and joyous!) work our faculty does with your children each and every day. Now I need your support.

I want to ask each of you to attend a meeting with our founder, Eva Moskowitz, whom I’ve asked to explain the importance of our march over the Brooklyn Bridge on October 8.

Our school would not exist without Eva’s courage and perseverance. Since some misinformation has circulated and there are concerns, I asked Eva to change her schedule and come to speak to us Wednesday morning (Sept. 25), which she graciously agreed to do. We will begin at 7:50am in the SAUW auditorium. Please join me at this important meeting.

Of course Linda! All you need is a picture ID, enter through the door close to Amsterdam (where you will sign up, show your pic ID and maybe asked to go through a metal detector). It takes just a couple of minutes. It’s a public building!

I know that your choice to send your child to Success Academy involved only one consideration – the best possible education for your child.

I ask you to reflect on the choice you made, what it has meant to you, and especially what it means for your child’s future. If you haven’t seen the documentary The Lottery, I urge you to watch it. (And if you have already seen it, watch it again – it’s worth it!) It’s free online via Hulu: http://www.hulu.com/watch/215007 or on Netflix. It will remind you of how hard we have fought to get to where we are today. Many of you fought side-by-side with me for educational excellence for your child, and now, because of what is at stake, I am asking you to join me again, this time to defend the hard-won education that is your child’s right to have.

What exactly is at stake? Space and equitable funding. We have always believed that your children are entitled to be educated in public school buildings, as are other public school children in the city. There is space – our schools co-locate only in severely underutilized public school buildings. There are many of them (currently over 170 in NYC), and we need them because we receive no funding for facilities. Without space and equitable funding, the education Success Academy offers your child will either cease to be possible or will be severely diminished. We will not be able to grow into the older elementary grades at some schools or into middle school grades. The truly magical high school we are currently designing will not be possible.

Marching for parent choice on October 8 is of critical importance to the existence and quality of your child’s education. I also believe that there is an important lesson for our scholars here. They will see democracy in action and learn how to take a stand for what is important, what is rightfully theirs.

For too long, a profound educational poverty has been the norm across America. No more, and not for our children. This is the civil rights issue of our time, and now is the time to take a stand and be heard. The sight of thousands of parents and scholars marching side-by-side across the Brooklyn Bridge will send a strong message to legislators deciding our future. It will also send a strong message to your children about the power of taking action together.

We are changing the educational history of our country, and Success Academy parents have from the beginning led that fight. And, of course, we could not do otherwise – this fight is about the best possible education for your child. I look forward to marching with you on October 8.

Here’s my question for Ravitch: if it is discovered that your source is incorrect, and that Success Academy is not forcing teachers, students, etc. to attend this event (assuming it is even happening), will you acknowledge that it is destructive and irresponsible for a high profile public figure like yourself to disseminate a report that sways opinions on a crucial education issue without checking its veracity?

Yes, that one. Is this your idea of “outing” me. It’s interesting that you chose to only cut and paste my work related to KIPP. I suppose you wouldn’t want anyone to know that I have worked in, researched and written about many types of schools including charters as it would undermine your silly attempt to represent me as a shill for KIPP or charter schools. If you truly want to understanding where I’m coming from, you will also notice that the work I did with KIPP teachers and school leaders focused on promoting independence in thinking and writing. I doubt that you’re interested in hearing this as it would threaten your world view of all charter networks being skill and drill factories obsessed with testing, etc.

Andrew is right here. I see nothing in the letter suggesting that students and teachers are required to attend the rally. Until I know this is the case, I see no reason why I should have any more issue with Eva Moskowitz rallying her supporters to her cause than Diane Ravitch using this blog to push for her agenda. I just hope that those who attend the rally AND those who fall in line behind Ravitch make these choices based on a reasoned and evidence-based assessment of the many and complex variables that impact educational policy rather than gross generalizations, innuendo, pettiness.

Diane’s not taking kids out of school to march for a charter chain. Eva is and I’m sure it’s “voluntary” for staff and students. Just like test prep is optional. Evidence based? Wow…you’ve got the reformer edubabble down. May I suggest a great book. Reign of Error…get one soon.

Wouldn’t the many charters that don’t employ Eva’s dirty methods to get additional space benefit from separating themselves from her polarizing figure? Bill de Blasio’s anger against charters seems to have its origins in Eva Moskowitz’ maneuverings. Who can blame him? Is it fair to assume that this march will only represent Success Academy?

Just listen to yourself, Linda. Do you really think it advances our thinking on these matters to reduce the educational landscape to two irreconcilable, monolithic camps (“real” teachers vs the rest)? Actually , I don’t really give a shit if you listen to yourself. I just hope Diane Ravitch is reading your comments and it gives her some indication of how her populist critique only serves to keep us moving sideways (at best). How many babies will be thrown out with the bathwater if the best response we have to the more obvious shortcoming of the current reform cycle is to blow it up and start at zero.

Andrew, I think you’re harsh and I thank you not to curse on my blog. The sooner the reformers understand the complexities of teaching and learning, the sooner they stop boasting about their miracles (which disappear under scrutiny), the sooner they make common cause with people who work in schools, and the sooner they oust he profiteers from their ranks, that’s when the conflicts will subside.

“There is no way in hell that Eva Moskowitz should get free rent, okay?” de Blasio said at a mayoral forum in June. “They should have to pay rent.”
Moskowitz has also been criticized for paying herself an outsized salary. The most recent tax filings for Success Network show she earns at least $475,000 — about twice the salary of city Schools Chancellor Dennis Walcott.

Interesting article indeed. While I don’t read in these E-mails that people are being forced to march, who will mind the scholars who choose not to march if the school is closed the morning of the march? Also, who is paying for the buses – are they allowed to use school buses to transport students and parents to a political rally? I guess charters can do what they please with their resources, but I know a bunch of people would have a fit if a public school district had a field trip to a political rally.

I am also a parent of a child at Success…this email is Real and participation is MANDATORY. As Eva said in her advocacy meeting the only excuse paretns have for not attending protests or rally’s is if someone(that someone being a woman because men are not excused) is within two hours of giving birth. She also noted that there would be at least 10 “events” a year and we are all required to attend. What is insane to me is that they argue the importance of classroom time so much so that they do not consider a Doctor’s appointment during school hours an excused absence but she sees it necessary to close schools down for several hours to protest. These children (most of them being kindergartners and 1st graders) should not be made to march any bridge they are children not pawns. Needless to say We will not be participating I to believe in standing up for my beliefs.

Wow, I think that is great. I wonder if you will be counseled out or intimidated for not following Eva’s orders. Who does she think she is? I guess not having Bloomberg is going to be a challenge for this Empress.

“participation is MANDATORY. As Eva said in her advocacy meeting the only excuse parents have for not attending protests or rally’s is if someone(that someone being a woman because men are not excused) is within two hours of giving birth.” doesn’t this violate freedom of expression?

The first amendment protects individuals from government action, not the action of private entities. And charter schools have a long history of insisting that they’re government entities when it’s convenient to be and insisting they’re private when it’s not.

Why don’t you just leave success if you disagree with it so much? Right, because it’s the best educational option for your child. How sad that you would have parents fight for you to get your school open but refuse to pay it forward.

Nicole – I am also a parent with a child in Success Academy – while the email is real in no way is it MANDATORY. Strongly encouraged yes. I sat in on a parent meeting yesterday and heard Eva outline how important it is to show our support on Oct 8th. My 1st grader and I will be attending but not because we HAVE TO GO OR ELSE!

Eva made it clear that she would like everyone’s support this time – not just the normal 10% of parents that volunteer anyway.

I don’t understand how you can “believe in standing up for my beliefs” and send your child to a SA at the same time.

So much hate for someone who is at least trying to something about the messed up schools in NYC

I am a mother with a child at Success Academy as well. I DO NOT feel “FORCED” to attend this march at all. I am curious why you choose to bash the very school your child attends? What would you do if that school were to be closed? Are you not happy with the education your child is receiving? I am just curious.

It’s pretty clear that she didn’t sign up for her child to be Eva’s political pawn when she opted for that school. She’s now more aware of how the network operates and isn’t brainwashed about it. For example, the fact that a parent is sending his/her child to Upper West Success Academy doesn’t imply that he/she supported the failed attempt to kick out IDP, Innovation Diploma Plus, to make more room for Upper West Success Academy. You can remain a decent human being (which does imply not being 100% in agreement with Eva’s space-grabbing ways) even though you opted for that school.

Andrew, I wouldn’t blend KIPP with Eva’s Success Academy. I haven’t read a single article on KIPP using questionable methods to get more space or kick other schools which are co-located out. KIPP isn’t planning on opening +70 schools within the next few years either.

I am a parent and this is what I got. I haven’t confirmed what this, but I heard that even if the parent does not attend. The school will make scholars to the march.
—
Parent March: On October 8 (Tuesday) every Success Academy leader, teacher, and staff member will participate in a march across the Brooklyn Bridge in support of our schools and other charter schools. Parents and students are strongly encouraged to participate in this march with us. Here are the details:

What: Parent March across the Brooklyn Bridge in support of charter schools and parent choice!

When: Tuesday, October 8, 7:30am-11:00am. Buses will pick up parents, scholars, and teachers from school at morning arrival, and you will be dropped off at Cadman Plaza in Brooklyn. We will delay the start of school until after the march. The school day is likely to begin at 12pm.

Where: The march will start in Cadman Plaza, go across the Brooklyn Bridge, and end in City Hall Park (Downtown Manhattan). All families will then take a subway back to school after the march to drop off scholars for the rest of the school day.
While participation is not mandatory, we cannot get our message across without all of your voices being heard!
—
I love the SA my child attends and I believe in the SA model but I think Eva is being too over zealous in her attempt to monopolize the charter school system in NYC, The negative press that SA is getting is all self inflicted. She does not get it. She ruining it for ALL charter schools in NYC.
The children and the hardworking staff at these schools the one who will pay the price. She is well off and her kids are grown. I feel so confused. In my heart I feel like I made the best decison for my child nased on the choice made available to me but the antics has to stop. At first I was going march but I have changed my mind. She started this mess, she needs to clean it up.

Note to all after the abundance of over-reaction here (as is the norm on this blog)…..

(1) The Rally was NOT attended by just Success Academy Parents, Teachers and Children. Many Charter Schools were in attendance today.
(2) The Rally was NOT mandatory. As parents we had a choice and that was well respected and received (at least from a Success Academy perspective).
(3) The Rally was an opportunity for parents to voice their concerns over educational inequalities and advocate for choice over the status quo. Why anyone would pick this apart and question motives (there is only one and that is excellent education for our children) is deflating.

They did lose 4 hours and 15 mins of instructional time that they normally get on a Tuesday morning. I myself am not too worried about losing 4 hours of instructional time as with the school my daughter attends (SA) they receive more quality time in the classroom than most schools . They started school on August 22nd, so I guess we can call it a wash if you want to compare value (or time in this instance) against “traditional” public schools as most of you like to do on this blog.

I can say that I do feel the rally provided a positive experience for my child as it sent a strong message in taking action for what you believe in and willing to challenge the status quo.